Teaching with Frankenstories

With custom prompts, you can use Frankenstories in any subject:

• History
• Geography
• Science
• Art
• Maths
• Anything!

This is because Frankenstories is a tool for collaborative writing, including:

• Informational writing
• Argumentation
• Narrative (factual and imaginative)

Any of which can be used in any subject.

With a custom prompt, you can define the content, structure, and purpose.

Below are some science-writing examples to get you thinking.

Informational writing

You can use Frankenstories as a way to collaboratively write explanations, descriptions, and reports.

Example: Explain herd immunity to a 5-year-old

For example, this game shows players attempting to explain a biology concept to a young audience, requiring content knowledge as well as communication skills such as sequencing, pacing, and analogy.

Argumentation

You can use Frankenstories to explore all sorts of arguments including causes and consequences, definitions, evaluations, and moral judgments.

Example: Which is the best electrical conductor and how would you test it?

For example, this prompt asked players to judge materials based on conductivity, which requires content knowledge about electricity and materials as well as fluency in valuational and proposal argument structures.

Narrative

Any subject can use narrative writing as a way to explore content and concepts. This includes factual narrative writing (history, biography, recount) as well as imaginative narrative writing.

Example: You're the electron in a static charge reaction!

For example, this game asked players to describe a static charge reaction from the point of view of an electron.

It's a fun story, but it exposes several misunderstandings about how static electricity works, which could then be unpacked and dispelled with reference to the story itself (making the content more accessible and memorable).